Studies have shown that 75% of women are stressed. 3 out of 4 women. That is a huge number considering women are often the caregivers and leading roles of many households. Imagine how many lives are affected by women that are stressed out from all the things on their plate. What was even more interesting is that those same women don’t intend on stopping any of those responsibilities, which means they are happy to be in their positions but that they are seeking help to manage the stress. After hearing this news I researched more about what is causing that stress.
Some top causes of stress are:
- work
- family
- what to eat
- outside commitments
- money
- body image
Bringing awareness to what stress does to the body is so important because we almost have become to accept it as normal but I am here to say constant stress is not normal and it is not good for the body. Here’s why:
Increased Stress can cause:
- weight gain
- weakened immune system
- exhaustion
- irritability
- heightened anxiety
…and more.
It adds extra pressure on the adrenals (in your kidneys) that’s makes it hard to function in it’s normal rhythm. Constant stress produces extra cortisol, a hormone that creates more weight in our midsection so if you’ve been busting your but at the gym but still feeling stressed and not hitting your weight loss goal it would be a good time to analyze your stress factors. Stress is our bodies way of saying it’s going through too much and it’s either taking on too much or it’s not releasing the built up energy inside. Normally it can feel like an on edge day but if you are feeling stressed consistently you have to be mindful of the dreaded burnout.
Burnouts are our bodies way of saying it needs a break and can look like many different things. One day you may wake up feeling hopeless and exhausted or, like me, you can come down with terrible illnesses that make you stay in bed for an extended amount of time so you have to get the rest you needed. Before I realized the importance of boundaries and self care I often burned my candle at 2 ends. Even as a fitness instructor I was always on the go without being mindful of how I was managing my stress. I experienced extreme tiredness, consistent asthmatic episodes, and terrible eczema breakouts. Even though I was moving my body, I was not resting my mind. Our brains are very much like muscles and without adequate rest, they too can sprain and strain like the other muscles.
In my last hospital trip from the flu I realized I had to be more mindful of how I was taking care of myself if I wanted to be present for my daughter and I soon found yoga. Yoga was the mental break I needed to help me manage the stress in my life. A lot of my awareness started with boundaries, then yoga helped me with the day to day of stress management.
Yoga is important for women’s health because it provides a natural way to manage stress while providing the physical benefits of exercise. It connects the mind and body with breath that provides an outlet for that pent up energy. Each exhale is a beautiful invitation for a relaxing inhale to wash all the stress away. While it is not a cure all for all that life can give us, it is a great way to manage how we get through it.
While busy may be the norm for modern women, being stressed doesn’t have to be. In fact it can easily be managed by taking 5-10 minutes a day or more if possible with simple yoga postures and breathing techniques. So keep being the boss mom you are and handling all the things you have to do while squeezing in time for yourself. I have short simple yoga flows made for busy women for this reason, it’s hard enough making the time so I focus on making each video time and beginner friendly.
I love helping women take care of themselves because I believe when we take care of our women we take care of our world. If you are looking to manage your stress I made a Destress Toolkit to help women around the world start living in more bliss and less stress. Get yours HERE
